[extropy-chat] My fever theory for longevity

[Lifespan Pharma Inc.]

Makes me feel OK.  Over the last 30 years I have made it a practice to 
go under the covers and
get really hot and sweaty for  a few hours or more whenever a cold or 
other virus hit.

For me it seemed subjectively to shorten and lessen the whole affair.

Emlyn wrote:

>That's an interesting idea, Mike. These diseases are relatively recent
>evolutionarily (since we started farming animals) but maybe that's
>been long enough for us to develop a bit of symbiosis with them? ie:
>maybe you can get away with more chance of developing cancer (gaining
>some other health benefits in return) when immersed in an environment
>full of these bugs? Then we would select in that direction; disease
>and health has been our major selection pressure for a long time
>(rather than food shortage or murder/being killed). In that case, to
>start fighting them off successfully would have unintended
>consequences.
>
>This reminds me of the recent theory that we have a symbiotic
>relationship with gut worms, that they help our immune system in some
>way, and that killing them off has led to the massive increase in
>allergies and asthma.
>
>  
>